A section of a Brentwood town centre car park is to reopen after it was found to be suffering from concrete cancer.

The top two decks of the Coptfold Road Car Park will reopen on July 16, the first to be completed in the £1.5m renovation project that will see new surfaces, paintwork, signage and fire doors installed throughout the building.

The multi-storey car park located towards the rear of the Baytree Centre was found to be suffering from so-called concrete cancer and repairs had to be carried out urgently.

The work is on schedule for completion in January 2019, when a new CCTV system will be in the place to increase security for those using the building.

The car park was suffering from concrete cancer

“The car park looks completely different and has become a brighter and more welcoming place to park, with well-marked out parking bays, in well-lit areas,” said leader of Brentwood Borough Council, Louise McKinlay.

“The building was way past its best, and of course was suffering from concrete cancer, making work a priority in order to secure its future use.

“The contractors have worked extremely well and efficiently to ensure residents have been able to continue to use their residential parking throughout the renovation.

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What is concrete cancer?

Concrete cancer is caused when steel reinforcing within a concrete slab begins to rust.

As the steel rusts it expands, displacing the concrete around it, causing it to become brittle and crack.

Signs of concrete cancer include cracking, rusts stains that leak out from within the concrete, bubbling of concrete render and leaks that appear in overhead concrete surfaces.

Concrete cracking is potentially dangerous as, over time, exposure to the elements can lead to untreated pieces of concrete falling from the structure.

They could damage property or, even worse, hit a person walking below.

“Furthermore the project is expected to, through a number of cost saving measures, come in under the original £1.9m budget.

“The views from the top floors of the London skyline on the horizon are an additional but pretty stunning bonus.”

Repairs undertaken include the those to the concrete, replacement lighting, infill barriers to the stair banisters, redecorating pedestrian barriers, repainting columns and ceilings, new signage and resurfacing all floors and pathways.